When Hurricane Michael touched down this week in the Florida Panhandle as an historic category 4 storm, it devastated entire towns with its punishing wind and dangerous flooding. After leaving Florida, Michael continued its destructive path as a tropical storm through parts of Georgia, the Carolinas and Virginia.

While the damage assessment continues and the total impact of the storm remains uncertain, the hardest hit areas areas in Florida are Panama City, Mariana and Mexico Beach.

NAHB will be working closely with the home builder associations in these regions to help them meet the needs of members affected by the storm. We will also provide resources to support our members as they help families rebuild. There are also many ways you can help right now.

The Manatee-Sarasota BIA is also joining this local collection effort with its Young Building Professionals group hosting a YBP Hurricane Relief Effort event on Oct. 18. If local members are unable to attend this event but still want to help out, you can drop off supplies or donations to the BIA office at 6650 Professional Parkway West, Suite 102, in Sarasota. All items are due by 10 a.m. on Friday, Oct. 19.

A reminder that NAHB has two important web pages to help HBAs, their members and home owners prepare for and respond to natural disasters:

The Disaster Preparation and Recovery Resources page is aimed at home owners and others in the paths of dangerous hurricanes, floods, fires and other natural disasters. It includes emergency preparedness tips, resources for keeping safe during cleanup efforts and an FAQ from former NAHB Remodelers Chair Dan Bawden on how to find, hire and work with remediation and renovation contractors.

The Natural Disaster Resources Toolkit is designed for HBAs and members. It’s a clearing house of updated information including case studies of HBAs that have dealt with disaster’s aftermath, a hurricane preparedness checklist for builders, demolition safety and more.

NAHB will continue to update information as the specific needs of our HBAs and families in the affected areas become clear and members continue to seek places to donate their money, materials and time.